This invention relates generally to the application of dental medication to the teeth and, more particularly, to a disposable dental tray for use in the topical application of dental medications, such as fluoride gel or the like, to the teeth.
Periodic topical application of fluoride to the teeth is a common dental procedure. Such treatment is generally performed in the dentist's office using a tray having a tray portion formed therein having a configuration such that it will fit over either the upper or lower teeth of the mouth. The tray portion is filled with the desired dosage of fluoride gel whereupon it is fit over the teeth to be treated.
Although it has been conventional in the past to utilize reusable trays having disposable inserts formed of foam or sponge-like material in connection with such fluoride treatment, trays which are completely disposable have been developed. Such trays, typical examples of which are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,281 and 3,527,219, are generally also formed of a foam material. In both cases, after the tray is placed into the mouth, the patient bites down whereupon the fluoride is forced around the teeth.
Disposable dental trays formed of foam or the like and having a pair of hinged tray portions specifically designed to conform to the geometry of both the upper and lower teeth, respectively, are also known, an example being illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,219. The tray portions are hinged to each other by a pair of integral hinge portions with respect to which the tray can be folded until the tray portions which have been filled with fluoride obtain their in-use position. Such trays are advantageous in that the upper and lower teeth can be treated simultaneously thereby reducing the time of treatment.
Experience has shown that difficulties often arise in connection with the handling of such hinged, double trays during use. More particularly, it has been conventional practice to provide each tray portion with an integral handle extending outwardly therefrom by which the tray can be grasped. When the tray portions are folded to the in-use position, the handles are bent and pinched together between the thumb and forefinger of the user. However, when the handles are bent and pinched together in this manner, forces are unavoidably applied by the handles to the tray portions which tend to distort the tray portions. This is extremely disadvantageous in that the medicament contained in the tray portions may spill therefrom over a distorted wall portion thereof. In an attempt to overcome this problem in trays which include an outer vacuum formed shell of polyethylene in addition to the inner layer of foam material, score lines have been formed in the outer shell of the handles to facilitate their bending. In this connection, reference is made to the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,219. However, even where such score lines are provided, deleterious distorting forces are still unavoidably exerted on the tray portions when the handles are squeezed together.
In order to minimize the forces exerted on the tray portions, a user will tend to grasp the handles at a position as close to the tray portions as possible. However, this results in the fingers touching the region of the mouth which, of course, is not entirely hygienic.